A riveting read that reveals and exposes the state of events in the Ukraine-Russia separatist borderland, the brutality and disregard for laws an sovereignty. Sikes also explores behind-the-scenes of interconnection of arms sales, busines deals, greed, and the intelligence wok to unearth the corruption and subterfuge.

Mason Hackett is a London banker, a U.S. Marine Corpse vet, whose battlefield experiences in Afghanistan still haunt him, some fifteen years later. When he catches a glimpse on TV of his ex-Marine close friend and then receives an email asking for help, he doesn't hesitate. Loyalty trumps all.

Despite the U.S. government intelligence attempts to dissuade him, Mason is determined to hold up his part of the pact the two had made in Afghanistan . And so Mason defies all odds as he rushes across Europe and into Ukraine to rescue his friend.

This is a thriller, a timely story depicting the current war in Ukraine.

Intense, fast-moving, timely and with major twists, Landslide is an inspired debut espionage thriller by former Marine and CIA operative Adam Sikes that shows promise as a potential long running series with a strong, likeable and capable protagonist.

Mason Hackett is a former United States Marine who now works for a financial firm in London. While on a business trip, a report on television catches his eye about an American reporter named Henry Delgado who was kidnapped in Ukraine by what appears to be pro-Russian separatists. This stops Hackett cold in his tracks, because he believes that reporter is really Kevin Gomez, his best friend and fellow Marine who he saw die in action over 15 years ago in Iraq. And any thoughts that it’s just a doppelgänger are put to bed when Hackett gets an email with a code word that only Gomez would know that dates back to a pact the two made to always be there for each other. Which means Hackett has only one option – to drop everything, jump feet first into a situation he knows nothing about and isn’t prepared for, and attempt to find the truth while saving Gomez from excruciating torture and death.

Landslide will capture your attention with Mason Hackett’s backstory, the images and actions that still haunt him and his absolute loyalty to those around him. Despite being out of the military for over a decade and appearing to be just another corporate guy sporting a suit, he is willing to put himself in grave danger and go to the ends of the earth in the pursuit of truth and upholding the oath he made to his fellow soldier. Very noble pursuits that are the hallmarks of great thriller heroes.

But Landslide will also capture your heart through Hackett’s unconditional devotion to his friend, his boss, the people he meets on his journey through eastern Europe, and even his ex-girlfriend. Leading to establishing an emotional connection at multiple points, some through righteous actions and others through devastating setbacks and loss. However, in all cases it makes you root that much harder for him to succeed.

Throw in the timely Ukraine/Russia plotline, cunning villains, devious intelligence operatives and multiple twists that make it impossible to know who to trust or what will happen next, and you have the makings of a first-class thriller. One that is certain to appeal to fans of military and espionage thrillers, especially those who enjoy novels by authors such as Don Bentley and Brad Thor. Get in on this book now because I have a feeling it’s going to serve as the launching point of a series that will have everyone in the thriller genre talking.

Retired U.S. Marine Mason Hackett has a new life as a London banker. He sees a TV news clip reporting the kidnap of a journalist who looks the image of an old friend who was killed in action, whose funeral Mason attended.. He starts to make enquiries of old contacts and soon realises there is something he can't understand, and can't leave alone. His search for his friend and the truth will take him across eastern Europe and into the war torn zone of eastern Ukraine.Its full of action - one of the best thrillers I've read in a while.

This book ceasing my thing I’m afraid, it was well written and gripping but not my type of book so I didn’t enjoy it that much.

I requested a copy of this book because the synopsis intrigued me. You can tell from the story that the author used his knowledge and experience in the military in it. Being a debut novel it was quite good but I gathered as much that this is not my cup of tea.

I'm not sure why I initially requested this book since I don't read about the military, perhaps the description came up late.
Thanks for the digital review copy.

Too many holes. Too implausible. Too fantastical. Over the top suspension of disbelief, beyond the remotest possibility.

A fast-paced thriller with some military background set up. An easy and quick read, but the plotting felt more clunky than clever. And, the ending didn't pack the punch that I would have liked.

Landslide by Adam Sikes published by Oceanview.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this incredibly exciting book! It obviously is the first of many and I can’t wait to get stuck into what Mason does next!
I know it's fiction but can't help but think there is a large amount of truth running through it. Power begets power.....so many innocent casualties so the rich and powerful can stay rich and powerful. Immediately connected with all the characters introduced, Adan is a great writer👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

On film, this might be a buddy flick, if the two buddies are separated until they aren’t. And a cynic might say this story is somewhat formulaic: Two Marine friends pledge that if one gets in a jam, the other will come to help. No questions. Just come help. You have a problem? I'm coming. End of story.

Let’s explore Landslide as it fits within that narrative.

The friendship of two men . . . Mason Hackett and Kevin Gomez . . . forged in battle (Afghanistan) . . . they make a pledge that when the SHTF for one, the other will come . . IED . . . both are injured . . . Gomez dies . . .Mason deals with his guilt but gets on with life (what choice does he have?) . . .takes a job in London . . . 15 years as a banker/deal maker for a prestigious investment firm . . . travels extensively . . . has dealt with some shady characters . . . at a meeting in a German boardroom . . . a flatscreen is tuned to an all-news channel . . . news crawl shows that Henry Delgado, an AP journalist, has been captured by Ukrainian separatists . . . the photo is unmistakably Gomez whom Mason watched die on a table in Afghanistan 15 years ago . . . mysterious email from Gomez arrives telling Mason to find ‘Doug’ in Paris . . . Doug tells him to forget it . . .fat chance . . . Mason is bound by their pledge . . . Mason heads for Ukraine . . . takes help where he can find it to fulfill his pledge.

Is the story formulaic or is the bond forged in battle a common theme in thrillers that deserves constant revisiting? You choose.

I favor the latter. Guessing you will, too. Great treatment of a common theme. Believable story filled with ups and downs as well as interesting characters that help Mason get into Ukraine heading for the separatist region bordering Russia. A book paced to zip you right through to a heart-stopping conclusion.

And I’m guessing we haven’t heard the last from Mason Hackett.

Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for placing an advance reader copy with NetGalley.

I keep telling you all - Pay attention to a book’s publisher. Since I first discovered them, Oceanview has been consistently producing excellent mysteries and thrillers.

Due Sept 20, 2022.

ECD

p.s. what's 'Landslide' mean? In this book, it's the call for the cavalry, danger close, bring everything you got, NOW.

Some good writing here, even some very good writing, and on the whole the characters pull you in. The problem is that the narrative isn't nearly up to the same standard. It's almost completely dependent on a cascading series of unbelievable coincidences ('I help you because he my cousin!') and soon enough it loses all credibility and you're just reading to see what the next unbelievable accident of good fortune to help our hero along might be.

The worst part of the narrative by far, however, was the ending. It reminded me of the ending of an episode in any one of an endless parade of forgettable American TV shows where everyone gathers around a table with food and drink and explains to each other what really happened in the story you've just heard. The climax of the explanation, of course, is always a cheesy set up for the next episode in the series.

That's exactly the way this book ended, and it came across as dumb, clunky, and unworthy of the potential of this writer.

"Landslide" by Adam Sikes was a start and stop read for me. I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher providing me an ARC to explore. The military drama was full of realistic descriptions and it was clear from the writing, this author had first-hand experience in lots of the plot under stories. I found it difficult to suspend reality and immerse myself into the story. This wasn't they right genre for me but I can appreciate the appeal to others.

US Marine veteran Mason Hackett moved to London to start his life over, and he’s done his best to convince himself that what happened fifteen years ago doesn’t matter—the people he killed, the men he lost, the lives he ruined. But when Mason sees the face of a dead friend flash on a television screen, and then receives a mysterious email referencing a CIA operation gone bad, he can no longer ignore his inner demons.
Driven by loyalty and a need to uncover the truth, Mason launches on a perilous journey from the Czech Republic to Romania toward the war-torn separatist region in eastern Ukraine to honor a fifteen-year-old promise. The answers he seeks—the fate of a friend and his connection to the underworld of international arms dealers and defense corporations—throw Mason into the cauldron of a covert war where no one can be trusted.
This is a debut and a very good one! It is a good read about war in and around Mariupol, Ukraine. The characters are unique and the plot is such that kept me turning pages until the very end. If you love action thrillers, then you will love this book. I would like to thank NetGalley and Oceanview Publishing for a copy for an honest review.

Landslide is not only a gripping geo-political thriller, but a morally-complex tale. The pages almost turn themselves and when I was finished I couldn’t stop thinking about the story’s Impact.

Marine veteran Mason Hackett moved to London to start life over as a banker while coping with guilt and nightmares about the lives lost under his command. When an old friend, a fellow Marine he last saw and believed to be dead on the battlefield, reaches out to him for help, Hackett drops everything to get to him as quickly as possible.

Landslide is a fast-paced, action-packed geopolitical thriller of international espionage with real-world storylines of governments that say one thing and do another, breaking the rules as it suits them, regardless of the costs – even of human life.

Adam Sikes has created a classic hero in Mason Hackett, a character of honor and tenacity whose journey the reader will want to follow into future books. Landslide ends with a perfect transition to book two and, hopefully, many more to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oceanview Publishers for the ARC in exchange for an independent review.

I didn't review this book online. I just didn't love it. The first few pages changed tenses a few times, which was confusing, and it felt like the author didn't figure out how to write until a couple chapters in. As for the plot, I never felt truly engaged, and felt like i was constantly waiting for story to start, so much so that I was surprised to find myself at the end of the book still unengaged. Not my favorite, but my hat's always off to someone who tries!

Thanks so much to Adam Sikes and NetGalley for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
- Title: Landslide by Adam Sikes (ebook)
- Genre: Mystery/Thriller
- Summary: When Mason Jacket sees his supposed to be dead best friend alive on TV he travels across Europe to uncover the truth
- Thoughts: I really enjoyed this fast paced book which gripped me right from the start , it also incorporated elements like loyalty. It is a must read for readers interested in topics like CIA and military.

Good stuff. Engaging action and plot. Like the characters as well. Recommended.

I really appreciate the free ARC for review!!

This was the first book I have read by this author and once I started I couldn’t put it down. It held my interest from beginning to to end.

This book was quite a bit different than what I'd expected and ended up not really being my cup of tea.